A new academic year had begun, and the campus was brimming with students—both nervous freshmen and returning upperclassmen.
Some had spent their summer relaxing, those who had spent the break cramming to make up for missed credits, those ecstatic to have made it into college, and others who were simply there to idle away the time.
Having completed all his registration and documentation days prior, Luka headed straight for the lecture hall.
"Oh my gosh, who is that?" a girl gasped softly in the hallway. "He's so handsome!"
"I haven't seen him around before. He must be a freshman."
"I think I saw him with a girl outside this morning."
"Really? Could that be his girlfriend?"
"Damn it, there goes my chance."
It was the usual reaction Luka drew wherever he went. Gazes followed him down the corridor; hushed whispers filled the air as strangers speculated about his identity and his life. He had grown accustomed to the stares—a mix of admiration, curiosity, and concern—ever since his adoption. As always, he offered no reaction.
With his white headphones covering his ears to block out the noise, he focused on reaching his destination.
As always, staring and whispering, he thought quietly, underestimating his own appearance. "I don't get why they look at me like that. There are plenty of guys far better-looking than I am."
"The fundamentals of fine arts lie in their origins..." a professor from the Fine Arts department announced in a commanding tone, lecturing a hall filled with over a hundred and sixty students.
The faculty encompassed several disciplines, including Painting & Sculpture, Theater Arts & Choreography, and Creative Writing.
"Oh, no! We're late already," Brianna whispered as she slipped through the back doors of the lecture hall alongside her friends, Brittney and Duke.
"Well, we wouldn't be late if someone hadn't insisted on stopping at the café behind the library," Duke said, flashing a charming smile.
Brianna pouted. "I ran out of the house without breakfast! And please, that smile doesn't work on me anymore." She sighed, leaning in closer. "Although... that guy this morning was an absolute hottie. I looked right into those gorgeous eyes of his."
She sat down while facing her two friends, who remained standing beside her. Suddenly, she noticed both of them staring past her in stunned silence.
Brittney broke the quiet, whispering under her breath, "He's even hotter up close..."
"Even hotter up close? What are you talking abou—" Brianna turned to look, only to jump in her seat, her face instantly flushing red.
Unknowingly, she had sat directly next to Luka. He had pulled his headphones down around his neck, exposing his ears to the chilly air flowing through the room, which had turned the tips of them a light pink. To Brianna, seeing him up close added an unexpectedly cute element to his otherwise stoic, handsome face.
"Uhm... I'm sorry! I wasn't thinking anything weird, I promise," she stammered, overwhelmed with embarrassment. "You just startled me. What are you doing here?"
Luka looked at her. He had intended to analyze her features for a portrait, but up close, he noticed details he had missed under the rain. Her warm brown hair and expressive brown eyes gave her a distinct appearance. Her fair skin and soft features made her look slightly younger than her age, highlighting a smile that could easily disarm anyone.
For a brief second, his perspective of her shifted.
"I'm a student here," he replied simply, turning his attention back to his phone.
His deep, melodious voice instantly brought back the feeling she had felt that morning.
"Really? What department?" Her natural extroversion kicked in, and a burst of confidence returned as she settled back into her chair.
"Painting and Sculpture."
"No way! I'm in Theater Arts," she said with a light, nervous laugh.
"Aren't your friends going to sit down?" Luka asked, still looking at his screen. His tone held a hint of distance, though his expression remained unreadable. "I don't care for people standing over me."
"Oh, sorry! I haven't introduced you. These are my best friends, Brittney and Duke." She gestured to them.
Luka turned to face them and extended a hand. "I'm Luka. Nice to meet you—though I'm not sure why you're introducing me when we aren't properly acquainted yet."
Duke accepted the handshake. "Nice to meet you, Luka. I'm Duke, Painting and Sculpture. I look forward to working with you."
Brittney, suddenly shy, stammered out, "I-I'm Brittney. N-Nice to meet you."
Brianna crossed her arms, pouting playfully. "Hey, that's not fair."
"What?" Luka asked.
"You didn't tell me your name when we first met!"
Luka offered a quiet sigh. "Did you hear what I just said? It isn't ideal to exchange names with a stranger. Besides, you didn't realize I was a student until just now."
"Well, that's true, but still! You could have mentioned it since we were heading to the same building."
"Conversing with others isn't something that particularly interests me," he said, turning back toward the front.
Brianna blinked, surprised by his detachment. Does that mean he doesn't have a girlfriend? Has he ever dated anyone? No, stop it, Brianna. There's no way someone looking like that has never dated before.
"Well, since we're acquainted now," she pressed, "can I assume we can be friends?"
Friends?
The word echoed in Luka's mind, dragging up memories of the past. Ever since the tragedy years ago, he had remained emotionally detached. He had been cold to the couple who adopted him, and he hadn't shed a single tear at their funeral.
Before the incident, his only real friend had been terribly bullied in their first year of high school. The bullies had been intimidated by Luka's cold demeanor, so they targeted his friend Victor instead. Because of his emotional numbness, Luka hadn't intervened, and Victor had ultimately withdrawn from school entirely.
"Friends?" Luka scoffed softly, his expression remaining entirely blank. "No. I have no interest in forming associations that will only become a burden later."
"What do you mean by that?" Brianna asked, caught off guard.
He sighed. "I mean I don't want to be friends. I'm here to attend my lectures and leave."
Brianna had never been rejected when offering friendship before, and she wasn't sure how to process it.
"So, while I appreciate the offer, I have no intention of becoming friends with you," Luka concluded, expecting that to be the end of the conversation.
Instead, a spark of determination lit up inside her. No one had ever turned her down before.
"Alright, I hear you," Brianna said smoothly. "But I'm not a fan of owing favors. You're going to be seeing a lot of me until I can repay you for helping me this morning."
"I don't need you to repay—"
"I won't take no for an answer," she interrupted with a confident grin.
Luka studied her for a moment. Reading her personality, he realized she wasn't going to let the matter drop easily, so he decided to pacify her for the moment. "Fine."
Delighted by her small victory, Brianna almost cheered out loud before remembering where they were.
"Those of you in the back, please take your seats and quiet down," the professor projected across the hall, glancing toward their group. "Everything covered today is essential for your foundational year."
Duke and Brittney quickly sat down as the lecture resumed, with Duke to Luka's left and Brianna and Brittney to his right.
I still can't believe how good-looking this guy is, Duke thought to himself, stealing a side glance at Luka's profile. He could probably get any girl he wants without even trying. Maybe hanging around him will give my own popularity a boost.
When the lecture finally concluded, Brianna packed up her bag and turned to say something to Luka—only to find the seat beside her already empty.